Sunderland finalise Steve Bruce deal

01 June 2009 07:41

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They pair met to discuss Bruce's personal terms after the way was cleared for the Wigan manager to leave the JJB Stadium when a compensation deal for his services was struck.
The former Manchester United skipper was given the go-ahead to meet Quinn after the Irishman overcame an important hurdle in his recruitment drive when Wigan counterpart Dave Whelan accepted £3-million in compensation for Bruce.
Bruce, 48, had been on holiday in Portugal when agreement was reached and he flew from the Algarve to Ireland yesterday for talks with Quinn who had placed him at the top of his wanted list following Ricky Sbragia's resignation nine days ago.
Now Sunderland officials are confident that Bruce will accept the challenge at the North-East's only Premier League club and a formal announcement on his switch to Wearside is expected within the next 24 hours.
It is envisaged that Bruce will be publicly paraded by Quinn later this week and he will then embark on realising prospective Sunderland owner Ellis Short's vision of turning the club into top-10 material following this season's flirtation with relegation.
The move for Bruce is expected to prompt wholesale changes behind-the-scenes at Sund erland with the Wigan backroom staff expected to re-locate to Wearside, including his No2 Eric Black.
Tyneside-born Bruce may have an affinity with Newcastle but that has not stopped Quinn and Short deciding he is the perfect candidate to lead the club into the upper echelons of the Premier League.
Bruce had become disillusioned with life at Wigan because of their need to sell their best players but life will by very different in the North-East because he will have a £50-milllion transfer kitty to work with this summer thanks to billionaire Short.